On the drawing board: men and the deep blue

When I begin my painting on the pastel paper, I select a paper color that goes with the colors and tones of what the piece will look like. It seems to give it a nice base to start with and even though the whole surface gets covered with pastels, I feel it adds a certain depth by having this ‘undertone’ throughout the painting. Generally I select a paper with a more muted tone. I was hesitant about this vivid blue, but it was the color I had in my inventory that resonated with me the most, and so far I am happy with the selection.